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Home  Mission  Lesson, 

ISSUED  BY  THE 

WOMEN’S  BAPTIST  HOME  MISSION  SOCIETY. 


PREPARED  BY 

Mary  G.  Burdette,  Corresponding  Secretary,  2411  Indiana  Ave.,  Chicago,  III. 
Lesson  V.  Mexico — Its  Past,  Py-esetit  and  Ftiture. 


Mexico  has  been  described  as  our  next- 
door  neighbor,  lying  broadside  to  our  country 
on  the  southiv'est,  having  a  government  simi¬ 
lar  in  many  respects  to  our  own,  bound  to  us 
by  connecting  lines  of  railroad  and  by  close 
commercial  relations,  and,  moreover,  em¬ 
braced  in  the  motto  of  the  American  Baptist 
Home  Mission  Society — “  North  America  for 
Christ.” 

1.  In  the  beKinning  it  may  be  well  to  listen  to  a 
general  description  of  the  country. 

Mexico  is  a  republic,  comprising  twenty- 
seven  states,  one  territory,  and  a  federal  dis¬ 
trict,  including  an  area  of  more  than  750,000 
square  miles.  Of  this  great  tract  of  country, 
the  portion  lying  south  of  the  Tropic  of  Can¬ 
cer  is  by  far  the  most  populous,  and  is  rich  in 
both  mineral  and  vegetable  productions. 
The  regions  north  of  the  tropic  become  less 
populous  in  proceeding  northward,  and  many 
districts  are  almost  unknown,  being  inhabi¬ 
ted  only  by  tribes  of  wild  Indians. 

The  surface  is  extremely  varied,  and  to 
this  circumstance,  nearly  as  much  as  to  the 
difference  in  latitude  of  the  parts  of  so  exten¬ 
sive  a  country,  may  be  attributed  the  variety 
of  climate  for  which  it  is  distinguished. 

Tlie  vast  tract  between  the  Sierra  Madre 
on  the  west,  and  the  Cordilleras  on  the  east, 
comprises  aliout  three-fifths  of  the  area  of 
the  country,  and  consists  of  table-land, 
known  as  the  plateau  of  Anahuac,  with  an 
elevation  above  the  sea-level  of  from  6,000 
to  8,000  feet.  Hence,  though  a  portion  of 
this  region  lies  within  the  tropics,  it  enjoys  a 
temperate  climate. 

The  most  remarkable  tract  in  this  elevated 
region  is  the  plain  of  Tenochtitlan,  sur¬ 
rounded  by  ridges  of  rocks.  It  is  of  oval 
shape,  fifty-five  miles  long,  and  thirty-seven 
broad.  One  hundred  and  sixty  square  miles 
of  this  areaarewater.  Its  southwest  side  is 
highest,  and  here  is  seen  Popocatapetl  and 
other  mountain  peaks,  towering  from  13,000 
to  nearly  18,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

Mexico  is  divided,  as  respects  climate,  into 
the  hot  regions  along  the  coast,  the  temper¬ 
ate  regions,  and  the  cold  regions.  The  hot 
regions  include  the  land  under  2,000  feet  of 
elevation,  the  temperate  regions  those  from 
2,000  to  5,000  feet,  and  the  cold  regions  those 
aljove  5,t)00  feet  of  altitude.  Owing  to  its 
diversity  of  climate,  Mexico  produces  most 
of  the  plants  peculiar  to  the  tropics,  as  well 
as  tho.se  of  the  temperate  regions  of  North 
.-Vinerica  and  Europe. 


2.  What  do  we  know  of  the  primitive  inhabitants 
of  Mexico? 

The  first  settlers  in  Mexico  are  said  to  have 
been  the  Toltecs,  a  tribe  of  Indians  from  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  who,  after  several  migra¬ 
tions,  fixed  themselves  near  the  present  City 
of  Mexico,  and  flourished  there  for  about 
four  hundred  years.  They  imparted  some 
degree  of  civilization  to  the  barbarous  Chi- 
chemecas,  who  succeeded  them,  and  were,  in 
their  turn,  displaced  l)y  the  Aztecs,  who 
flourished  in  1160.  They  founded  the  city 
of  Tenochtitlan  (on  the  site  of  the  present 
City  of  Mexico)  in  1325,  and  under  Monte¬ 
zuma  I.,  the  greatest  of  their  monarchs,  ex¬ 
tended  their  dominion  on  the  east  to  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico,  and  on  the  west  to  the 
Pacific  Ocean.  They  were  subjugated  by 
the  Spaniards  in  1519. 

.3.  A  brief  account  of  this  conquest  will  be  of 
intere.st. 

Good  Friday  (April  21),  1519,  records  the 
landing  of  Cortez  with  six  hundred  Span¬ 
iards,  at  the  spot  where  Vera  Cruz  now 
stands.  Between  the  invader  and  Tenoch¬ 
titlan,  the  capital  of  the  empire,  which  he 
coveted  for  the  crown  of  Spain,  lay  the  In¬ 
dian  republic  of  TTascala.  The  Spaniards 
having  promptly  attacked  and  defeated  the 
Tla.scalans,  set  about  winning  their  friend¬ 
ship,  with  such  good  results  that  they  be¬ 
came  zealous  and  faithful  allies.  Thus  rein¬ 
forced,  Cortez  continued  his  march  toward 
the  Aztec  capital. 

When  Cortez  emerged  from  the  mountain 
gorge,  and  looked  down  on  the  entire  city, 
he  beheld  a  magnificent  lake  extending  for 
miles,  while  from  islands,  seeming  to  float  on 
the  sparkling  bo.som  of  the  water,  rose  tem¬ 
ples,  palaces,  obelisks,  mansions,  and  all  the 
lielongings  of  a  vast  empire,  while  broad 
higliways,  like  Roman  roads,  connected  this 
second  Viuiice  with  the  adjacent  shore;  and 
green  islands,  like  nodding  orchards,  with 
fruit  of  all  colors  and  sizes,  with  huts  and 
villages,  parents  and  children,  sailed  slowly 
toward  the  great  mart,  with  fruits,  flowers, 
fish,  vegetables,  and  game. 

Montezuma  II.,  the  la.st  of  the  Aztec  mon¬ 
archs,  had  in  earlier  life  distinguished  him¬ 
self  as  a  general,  and  at  the  time  of  his  elec¬ 
tion,  in  1502,  held  the  office  of  high  priest. 
But  sensual  indulgences  had  so  undermined 
his  health  and  enervated  his  character,  that 
he  became  timid  and  superstitious.  The 
apparition  of  a  comet  in  1512  cairsed  great 
alarm  in  his  kingdom,  and  was  affirmed  by 
a  neighboring  king  to  forebode  disaster  from 


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thf*  arrival  of  foreigners;  a  warning  which 
seemed  to  find  confirmation  in  the  invasion 
of  the  Spaniards.  The  alarm  was  increased 
by  reports  of  the  prowess  of  the  invaders, 
and  of  the  superhuman  terrors  of  the  arms 
which  they  wielded.  Montezuma  sought, 
therefore,  to  conciliate  them,  sending  pres¬ 
ents  and  complimentary  messages,  and 
finally  meeting  them  with  a  magnificent  cor¬ 
tege,  and  conducting  them  to  his  capital, 
where  they  received  the  most  courteous 
treatment.  The  lavish  jiresents,  indicating 
great  wealth,  stimulated  the  cupidity  of  the 
Spaniards,  and  the  sight  of  idolatrous  rites, 
e.specially  the  human  sacrifices,  inflamed 
their  religious  zeal,  while  the  ambition  of 
Cortez  would  be  satisfic'd  with  nothing  short 
of  absolute  conquest;  and  after  a  desperate 
struggle,  in  which  the  Mexicans  suffered  im¬ 
mense  losses  try  the  sword,  fire,  and  famine, 
the  surrender  came,  and  the  vast  empire  be¬ 
came  subject  to  the,  crown  of  Spain. 

4.  What  may  be  said  of  the  civilization  of  the 
Mexicans  at  the  time  of  the  conquest? 

When  the  Spaniards  arrived  in  ^Mexico, 
civilization  had  so  far  advanced  that  among 
the  .\ztecs  the  right  of  property  was  under¬ 
stood,  cities  were  built,  professions  and  dis¬ 
tinctions  of  rank  exi.sted,  and  the  arts  were 
cultivated  with  considerable  success,  as  is 
evidenced  by  their  paintings,  architecture', 
and  sculpture,  'fhey  also  cultiAated  oratory 
and  poetry,  but  used  hieroglyphics  to  record 
their  history.  iMost  of  these  annals  were 
destroyed,  lent  some  interc'sting  specimens 
were  allowed  to  remain. 

5.  What  can  you  say  of  the  present  population  of 
Mexico? 

The  present  population  of  Mexico  num¬ 
bers  not  far  from  thirteen  and  one-half  mil¬ 
lions  of  people.  Of  these,  mon'  than  two 
millions  are  whites,  the  descendants  of  Euro¬ 
peans,  chiefly  Spaniards;  about  five  millions 
are  full-blood  Indians,  and  the  remaining  .six 
millions  are  mixed  races. 

0.  What  is  known  of  the  relipcions  of  Mexico? 

The  primitive  iidial)itants  were  highly 
superstitious,  and  worshiped  a  number  of 
deities,  also  offered  human  l)cings  in  sacrifice, 
a  practice  of  which  numerous  evidences 
remain. 

The  natives  were'  nominally  converted  to 
Romanism  Iry  the  Spanish  .soldiers,  who 
were  jrossessed  with  fiery  zeal  for  their 
church.  The  proselyting  was  done  after  the 
usual  mantier  of  the  ag('  in  which  the  con¬ 
quest  was  effected,  by  force  of  arms.  .\s  a 
re.sult,  what  is  now  in  Mexico  called  “Catholi¬ 
cism,”  is  descril)ed  as  a  .‘^upersitious,  debased 
idolatry,  grafted  onto  a  .spurious  .sort  of 
Romanism. 

The  Indians  and  largely  the  mixed  popu¬ 
lation  are  almost  as  ignorant  and  supersti¬ 
tious  as  in  the  days  of  Cortez.  The  work  of 
transforming  them  into  intelligent  Christians 
is  a  great  undertaking. 

7.  What  encouragement  have  Protestant  Chris¬ 
tians  to  persevere  in  their  effort.s  to  preach  the  (los- 
peHii  Mexico? 

rite  evidence  that  the  pt'ople  are  progre.s- 
sive;  “They  have  established  reform  as  the 


rule  for  government,  and  freedom  of  con¬ 
science  as  the  right  of  all.  To  do  this  they 
had  to  shatter  the  gigantic  power  of  Spain 
years  since,  and  still  more  monstrous  lord- 
ship  ol  the  popish  hierarchy  forty  years 
later.” 

Less  than  a  score  of  years  ago  it  was  not 
safe  for  a  Protestant  to  labor  for  the  conver¬ 
sion  of  the  Roman  Catholics;  now  he  can  go 
:my where  in  Mexico  and  labor  with  little 
fear  of  harm. 

M('xican  converts  are  still  more  or  less 
liable  to  petty  persecution  of  a  kind  that 
cau.ses  th('m  humiliation  and  annoyance;  l)ut 
in  the  pa.st,  on  more  than  one  occasion, 
Romish  fury  has  broken  out  in  acts  of  open 
violence  that  have  cost  many  brave  liv('s. 
In  all,  there  have  been  eighty-three  martyrs. 

At  the  present  time  there  are  operating  in 
Mexico  eleven  Protestant  denominations, 
which  began  their  work  in  the  following  ord('r 

(1)  American  Baptist  Home  Mission  So¬ 
ciety,  lSfi3;  (2)  Epi.scopalian,  .  IStig ;  (.3) 

Friend.s,  1871;  (4)  Presliyterian  Board  of 

Foreign  Mi.ssions,  1872;  (.'i)  Methodist  Epi.s- 
copal,  1873;  (6)  Methodist  Episcopal  South, 
1873;  (7)  Pres)  )yterian  South,  1874;  (8)  As.so- 
ciate  Reformed  Presbjderian  South,  1880; 

(9)  A.  B.  C.  F.  M.  (Congregational),  1882; 

(10)  Southern  Bapti.st  Convention,  1883;  (11) 
Cumberland  Brest  )yterian,  1888. 

The  Methodist  (North  and  South)  and  th(' 
Presbjderian  (North)  are  the  strongest  mis¬ 
sions.  In  ('ducational  work  the  Northern 
IMethodists  and  Pn'sbyterians  lead.  Vari¬ 
ous  estimates  are  given  as  to  the  total  mem¬ 
bership  in  evangelical  churches  in  Mexico, 
but  it  seems  safe  to  place  it  in  round  numbers 
at  20,000.  While  we  praise  God  for  this 
elect  company,  what  is  our  duty  concerning 
the  more  than  13,570,045  unevangelized 
Mexicans?  (Census  of  1900.) 

THE  BAPTISTS  IN  MEXICO. 

(The  following  matter  may  be  given  b.v  one  person 
in  the  form  of  a  paper,  if  such  a  presentation  should 
be  considered  ijreferable  to  the  one  here  given.) 

1.  What  may  be  said  of  the  beginning  of  Baptist 
work  in  Me.xico? 

A  ns. — As  early  as  1830  the  E.xecutive 
Committt'e  directed  attention  to  Mexico  as  :i 
coming  field  of  missiomiry  effort,  in  tht'.se 
words ; 

“On  the  south  are  Texas  and  the  Republic 
of  Mexico,  now  both,  perhaps,  certainly  the 
latter,  inaccessiltle  to  the  Christitin  mission¬ 
ary;  but  their  portals  will  undoulttedly  Ih' 
thrown  wide  open  as  .soon  as  we  shall  be  in 
circumstances  to  enter  them.” 

In  184(1  Secretary  Hili  refers  to  the  first 
glimmer  of  hope  in  the  ('stal)lishment  of 
the  Republic  of  Texas  within  the  ancient 
domain  of  Mexico,  and  in  the  immigration 
of  Americans  and  Englishmen  into  Mexico, 
and  Christians  were  exhorted  to  be  ready  for 
the  forward  movement  when  the  hour  came. 

In  18()9  we  find  the.se  words  in  the  report 
of  the  IxKird  :  “  God,  in  His  providenee,  has 
opened  to  us  a  way  into  the  very  heart  of 
this  papal  land.  The  Catholic  Church  i)arty 
and  the  liberal  party  have  been  struggling 


HOME  MISSION  LESSON. 


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for  the  maptery  in  iMexico  for  many  years 
past.  At  length  the  churcli  party  has  had 
to  yield.  A  constitution  granting  liberty  of 
worship  has  been  adopted  and  now  prevails. 
As  a  result,  we  hear  with  a  joy  that  thrills  us, 
that  six  small  congregations,  holding  essen¬ 
tially  the  principles  of  the  Baptists,  have 
already  organized  themselves  and  are  wor- 
•shiping  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  the  way 
which  Rome  calls  heresy.  We  deem  it  im¬ 
perative  to  send  two  or  more  men  to  that 
field  at  the  earliest  moment  possible.” 

2.  What  do  we  know  of  the  history  of  these  .six 
congregatigns  and  subsequent  development  of  the 
work? 

An.s. — In  the  spring  of  1862,  John  W.  But¬ 
ler,  an  Englishman  of  great  piety,  came  to 
.Vlonterc}^  from  Texas.  Through  his  influ¬ 
ence  Thomas  M.  Westrup,  a  young  English¬ 
man  by  birth,  engaged  in  mercantile  pur- 
, suits  in  that  city,  was  led  to  faith  in  Christ. 
.\l)Out  the  .same  time  there  dwelt  in  Mata- 
moras.  Rev.  James  Hickey,  a  Baptist  min¬ 
ister,  who,  at  the  solicitation  of  Mr.  Butler 
and  Mr.  Westrup,  visited  Monterey  in  No- 
veml)er,  1862.  .\s  a  result,  Mr.  Westrup 

ami  two  Mexicans  were  baptized  January 
30,  18()4,  and  the  same  day  the  first  Baptist 
church  was  organized  with  five  members. 
Mr.  Westrup  was  cho.sen  pastor,  Mr.  Hickey 
laying  on  hands  in  prayer.  By  the  end  of 
1864  this  churcli  numbered  twenty  members, 
and  by  1869  there  were  in  Mexico,  as  has 
already  been  stated,  six  congregations,  with 
about  one  hundred  and  twenty  immersed 
believers. 

The  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society  accepted  the  fo.stpring  care  of  these 
little  bands,  with  Mr.  Westrup  as  their  mis¬ 
sionary,  until  1876,  when  the  debt  of  the 
society  enforced  an  economy  that  compelled 
them  to  leave  these  Mexican  churches  mainly 
to.  themselves  until  1880.  Indeed,  the  orily 
support  these  churches  had  during  four  years 
ivus  that  secured  by  a  few  heroic  Christian 
loomen  who  banded  together  October  21,  1874, 
as  “  The  Mexican  Baptist  Mission  Society." 
In  1880,  when  the  Baptist  Home  Mi.ssion 
Society  again  resumed  the  care  of  this  work, 
there  were  in  Mexico  five  Baptist  churches 
and  eight  congregations.  We  had  a  Baptist 
church  at  Monten'y  five  yt'ars  before  any 
attempt  was  made  by  any  other  body  to 
evangelize  .Mexico. 

.3.  What  can  you  say  of  the  present  condition  of 
the  Missions  of  the  Northern  Baptists? 

Under  the  fostering  care  of  the  American 
Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  there  were  in 
Mexico  in  1903,  10  churches,  with  a  mem¬ 
bership  of  700.  There  were  also  out-sta- 
tions.  Fifteen  missionaries  are  employed 
by  the  Society  to  care  for  this  work.  The 
Society  also  sustains  two  schools,  one  in 
Mexico  City,  and  one  at  Monterey,  in  which 
eight  teachers  are  employed.  The  money  for 
the  support  of  the  schools  is  raised  liy  the 
Woman's  American  Baptist  Home  Mission 
Society. 

The  monthly  papiw.  La  Luz,  is  published 
in  the  city  of  Mexico,  and  from  the  press 
there  an*  also  issued  tracts  and  leaflets.  X 


hymn  book,  published  by  the  American  Bap¬ 
tist  Publication  Society,  was  prepared  by  Rev. 
T.  M.  Westrup. 

4.  Give  some  account  cf  the  work  of  the  Southern 
Baptists  in  Mexico. 

Ans. — In  1880  the  eyes  of  the  Board  of 
the  Southern  Baptist  Convention  turned  to 
Mexico,  and  Rev.  ,1.  O.  Westrup  was  ap¬ 
pointed  as  its  first  representative  in  this 
field.  The  facts  of  his  tragic  death  are 
known  to  the  Missionary  Baptists  of  the 
United  States.  Brother  Flourney  was  the 
second,  and  Brother  W.  1).  Powell  the  third 
appointee  of  the  Board.  In  1883  Brother 
Powell  began  work  in  Saltillo.  At  Zacate¬ 
cas  and  Guadalajara,  missions  were  organized 
in  1887.  In  190-3  the  Southern  Baptists  re¬ 
ported  43  churches  with  l,2ol  members. 
They  also  have  schools  at  Saltillo  and  Toluca 
and  a  Theological  Training  School  at  Torreon . 

5.  May  we  hear  a  few  words  concerning  the  mis¬ 
sionaries  sent  by  the  Women’s  Baptist  Home  Mis¬ 
sion  Society  to  carry  the  Gospel  to  Mexico? 

In  September,  1884,  Paxda  Barocio  entered 
the  training  school  to  prepare  her.self  for 
missionary  work  among  her  people,  the 
Mexicans.  She  came  to  us  from  Montemo- 
relos,  strongly  urged  to  do  so  by  Rev. 
Thomas  Westrup.  .^.ftcr  a  year  in  the  train¬ 
ing  school,  Miss  Barocio  was  appointed  to 
labor  in  Montemorelos,  Mexico.  Accom¬ 
panying  Paula  Barocio  to  the  training  school 
was  Epifanin  Trevino,  a  typical  Spanish 
senorita,  who  did  excellent  service  in  Mon¬ 
terey  as  our  missionary  during  two  years, 
when  she  became  the  wife  of  Mr.  Albino  E. 
Martinez.  Paula  Barocio  served  the  society 
with  marked  efficiency  until  December  2i, 
1892,  when  she  married  and  accompanied 
her  husband.  Rev.  R.  W.  Tooms,  to  .4guas 
Calientes.  In  September,  1894,  she  was  re- 
commissionetl  for  ser^'ice  in  Queretaro, 
where  she  and  her  husband  were  then  resid¬ 
ing.  This  engagement  terminated  Septem¬ 
ber,  1895,  with  her  removal  to  .Montemo- 
rclos,  where  she  again  labored  from  March, 
1896,  till  October,  1897,  when  she  left  Mexico 
to  join  her  husband  in  Las  Vegas,  N.  M.,  where 
she  began  work  in  April,  1898.  In  Novem¬ 
ber,  1902,  she  returned  to  Mexico  and  since 
May,  1903,  has  been  associated  with  Misses 
Bristol  and  Galvan  in  the  work  at  Puebla. 

Concepcion  Renteria  was  chosen  to  fill  the 
vacancy  occasioned  by  the  marriage  of  Epi- 
fania  Trevino,  in  October,  1887.  After  six 
years  of  faithful  and  fruitful  service,  she 
entered  heaven  October  21,  1893.  Roseltha 
Powell,  from  West  IJrginia,  graduated  from 
the  training  school  in  1889,  and  was  sent  to 
Monterey,  Mexico,  the  following  Fel)ruary. 
She  re.signed  April  I,  1892,  and  soon  aftei- 
became  the  wife  of  Dr.  Head.  Teresa  Leal 
was  first  employed  as  Bible  woman  to  assist 
Miss  Barocio  in  Montemorelos,  and  wais 
transferred  to  .\guas  Calientes,  January  1, 
1893;  in  October  following,  she  was  sent  to 
San  Luis  Poto.si.  In  Septemlier,  1900,  she 
went  to  Cuernavaca. 

Viviana  Trevino  and  Lillia  Garcia  entered 
the  training  school  in  October,  1889,  and 
were  graduated  June  1 1 ,  1891.  Miss  Viviana 
'I'revino  began  work  as  a  gcmeral  mi.ssionary 


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August  I,  IS91,  witli  lioadquarters  at  Santa 
Ilo.sa,  l)ut  after  Mis.s  Powell’s  marriage  her 
headquarters  were  removed  to  Monterey  un¬ 
til  May  1,  1893,  when  she  was  sent  to  Puelila. 
In  April,  1894,  she  resigned  her  commission 
to  become  the  wife  of  Rafael  S.  Fernandez. 
Miss  Lillia  Garcia  began  work  at  Lampazos 
September  1,  1891,  but  was  transferred  in 
.•\ugust,  1892,  to  Montemorelos,  and  in  July, 

1895,  to  Aguas  Calientes,  and  in  September, 

1896,  to  Monterey,  where  she  labored  until 
.\pril,  1897.  Mrs.  Francisca  Marquez  began 
work  in  Linares,  June  20,  1893,  as  a  BilJe 
woman  and  visitor. 

Miss  Susan  Jones,  of  Jacksonville,  Ill.,  and 
of  the  training  school  class  of  1893,  reached 
the  City  of  Mexico  November  5th  of  that 
year,  and  was  joined  by  Miss  Esther  Galvan 
the  following  month.  Miss  Galvan  came  to 
the  training  school  from  Monterey,  and 
graduated  with  Miss  Jones.  Her  interest 
in  Christian  work  and  place  among  the 
workers  is,  in  part  at  least,  the  fruit  of  Miss 
Powell’s  labors.  September,  1895,  Miss 
Galvan  was  transferred  to  Monterey.  Miss 
Francisca  Salas  (Mexican)  began  work  in  the 
City  of  Mexico  as  Miss  Jones’  assistant  in 
August,  1896. 

November  17,  1896,  Clara  B.  Hardy  and 
Miss  Esther  Galvan  reached  Puebla,  where 
they  were  to  be  associated  in  service,  but 
January  9,  1897,  Miss  Hardy  entered  heaven, 
and  Miss  Galvan  continued  alone  until  the 
arrival  of  Miss  Jennie  G.  Bristol,  November, 

1897,  Miss  Addie  11.  Watts  reached  Mon¬ 
terey,  November  11,  1896.  April  1,  1897, 
she  was  transferred  to  San  Luis  Potosi.  The 
following  October  she  was  obliged  to  return 
home  for  medical  treat inent,  hoping  soon  to 
go  back,  but  the  hope  was  unrealized. 

February  20,  1899,  a  kindergarten  was 
opened  in  the  City  of  Mexico.  In  August, 
1900  Aliss  Bessie  Richards,  took  charge  of 
this  work,  and  in  December,  1902,  it  was 
transferred  to  San  Luis  Potosi. 

In  November,  1902,  Miss  Viola  Still  and 
Miss  Elizabeth  Haney,  both  graduates  of  the 
training  school,  reached  Aguas  Calientes, 
where  they  were  joined  by  Aliss  Luz  Heath, 
also  commissioned  for  this  field.  But  their 
stay  here  was  short  as  in  March  of  the  same 
year  they  were  transferred  to  San  LuisPotosi, 
Miss  Heath  was  sent  to  the  City  of  Mexico 
and  Miss  Francisca  Salas  brought  from 
that  city  to  Aguas  Calientes. 

Senora  Alanuela  Vargas  began  work  as 
a  Bible  woman  in  Nuevo  Laredo,  October, 
1902. 

THE  DAY  DAWN  IN  MEXICO. 

The  dedication  of  the  First  Baptist  Church 
edifice  in  Mexico  occurred  at  Monterey,  April 
19,  1885,  and  was  attended  by  127  excur.sion- 
ists  from  the  United  States.  The  builder  of 
the  house,  a  Roman  Catholic,  who  was  e.x- 
communicated  by  the  bishop  on  that  ac¬ 
count,  was  presented  with  a  gold  medal  as  a 
token  of  appreciation  of  those  for  whom  he 
had  wrought  in  the  face  of  the  displeasure  of 
his  church. 

The  City  of  Mexico  was  occupied  by  the 


.\merican  Baptist  Home  Mission  Society  in 
1883,  but  during  nearly  four  years  the  work 
was  carried  on  with  no  house  suitable  for 
church  or  Sunday  school  purposes,  the  ser¬ 
vices  being  held  in  a  cheerless  room,  for 
which  the  mi.ssionary  paid  $90  per  month, 
and  from  which  he  was  lialde  to  be  driven 
at  any  time  at  the  caprice  of  the  Roman 
(’atholic  landlord.  During  the  year  1886, 
nledges  amovmting  to  $25, ()()()  were  .secured 
for  the  erection  of  Baptist  Mission  buildings 
in  the  City  of  iMexico,  and  February  26, 
1887,  ground  was  broken  for  the  first  Prote.s- 
tant  church  edifice  ever  erected  in  that  city. 
The  buildings  consist  of  a  church  edifice  on 
the  American  plan;  the  printing  press  and 
the  missionary’s  residence  are  in  a  .separate 
edifice.  The  buildings  were  completed  and 
dedicated  November  27,  1887. 

In  1836  it  was  wu-itten:  “  It  is  a  beautiful 
anticipation  that  the  l)anner  of  the  true  cross 
may  yet  ))e  planted  in  the  city  of  Monte¬ 
zuma,  and  the  blessings  of  the  gospel  diffused 
through  this  land,  which  has  experienced 
nothing  from  her  misnamed  Christianity  but 
treachery  and  cruelty  and  horrid  barbarity.” 

Scarce  fifty  years  had  passetl,  when  the 
anticipation  had  become  a  reality. 

We  listened  to  Dr.  William  Haigh’s  in¬ 
spiring  account  of  his  visit  to  Mexico  at  the 
time  of  the  dedication  of  the  new  Baptist  meet¬ 
ing  house  at  Monterey,  and  the  organization 
of  the  Nueva  Leon  .Association.  He  de- 
scril)ed  thrillingly  the  blending  of  the  voices 
of  Germans,  English,  and  Spaniards  in  songs 
of  praise,  each  singing  in  his  own  tongue  but 
at  the  same  time;  and  painted  for  us  in  vivid 
word-pictures  the  Mexican  sisters  asking  and 
receiving  hearty  recognition  as  one  with  the 
l)rethren  in  Him  in  whom  then;  is  neither 
male  nor  female.  Then  he  told  how  he  hatl 
gone  to  the  cathedral  in  the  gray  dawn  of 
the  morning,  and  amid  the  gloomy  shadows, 
discerned  the  forms  of  women  prostrating 
theimselves  in  ignorant  devotion  on  cold 
stones,  muttering  prayers  and  crossing  thein- 
selves,  while  a  priest,  standing  in  the  dim 
light  of  a  taper,  mumbled  in  Latin  the  morn¬ 
ing  service,  which  few  heard  and  none  under¬ 
stood.  “  Here,”  .said  the  doctor,  ‘‘  I  beheld 
a  picture  of  Mexico  as  she  has  l)een,  Ijlinded 
and  deluded  by  Romanism.  Aye,  a  pictun* 
of  Mexico  as  she  is.  For  as  the  day  was 
dawning  in  the  natural  world,  and  the  sun 
was  even  then  hastening  his  apjjroach,  so  I 
saw  there  a  reaching  out  alter  God,  and  be- 
li(!ve  the  gospel  is  beginning  to  scatter  the 
gloom.  Aye,  more.  As  I  turned  me  irom 
the  scene  to  the  one  of  the  day  before,  and 
contrasted  those  ignorant,  degi-aded  women 
with  the  .si.sters  whom  Christianity  has  made 
intelligent  and  comely,  1  saw  a  pi(‘ture  ot  the 
Mexico  of  the  future,  when  the  Sun  ot  Right¬ 
eousness  shall  have  arisen,  and  when  Chris¬ 
tian  light  shall  flood  the  land.” 

Mexico  is  open  to  the  gospel.  Let  us 
thank  God,  and  this  not  alone  for  the  .sake  of 
Me.xico,  l)ut  remembering  that  this  is  also 
the  “  gateway  to  forty  millions  of  people 
farther  south  who  speak  the  beautiful  lan¬ 
guage  of  Castile.” 


